Modus Delicti Interview

Modus Delicti Interview

By: Benjie Stewart

Modus Delicti are back on the brutal death metal scene after years of being dormant. Drummer and founder Clod
the Ripper is not short on words or passion about brutal death metal and about his baby Modus Delicti. Here is what he had to say.

Metal Mayhem Underground:“How are all things going in Modus Delicti?"

Clod:"Hi dude, this is Clod the Ripper speaking, founder and drummer of Modus Delicti, nice to talk with you! Well, everything is very
relaxing and going good! We're enjoying playing and composing new shit without any pressure or deadlines! We go to the rehearsal when we have time and with the only intent to have a good one, we
laugh a lot and this synergy is helping us to compose fresh new material with any fuckin' trend on it, just pure madness with some bloody ferocity and a touch of bad taste. That's
it!"

MMU:"It has been 3 years since Modus Delicti have done anything… what happened? Why did things fall apart? Who are these new players
you’ve got?"

Clod:"The classic line-up problems happened with people who prefer to talk instead of playing! People who got into the band just because
they wanted to become 'famous' [laughs], but without doing anything! Underground is underground and passion is passion! Too many kids think they can be popular just because they're in a
band.... so sad my bro... After the U.S. tour to support our first full-length, our guitar player and singer left the band, so I found another guitarist and a new singer. In less than two weeks
they learned the songs to play at the final edition of Mountains of Death fest in Switzerland (one of our worst sets ever...). Then we start composing new songs for a new split CD with Enemy
Reign under Selfmadegod Records. When we were ready to hit the studio the new guitarist left first, then the bass player left the band (the singer played with us just for a week or so....). I
tried again to find new members to record songs for the split and to perform at Neurotic Deathfest in Holland, but at the end I was so tired and depressed that I decided to focus on my other
bands where I play bass and put Modus Delicti on hold. This spring, with my all-time brother Adrian Bundy (he was also the singer on our third split CD), my great friend Markus Nirsch on
bass (he's a tattoo artist like me), and his long-time friend Max Chikatilo at the guitar, I decided to reform this aborted and deformed creature with the main intent to keep on
killing!"

MMU:"The 2011 debut, Nobody, was a breath of fresh dead air to the death metal scene. Now in 2014, how do you view that release
and how will the new Modus Delicti compare to the previous version of the band?"

Clod:"Thank you so much for your kind words, I really appreciate it! Sometimes I listen to that CD and just like I felt exactly when it was
released, I don't like the production, but I still love the songs and I keep on banging my head while listening to 'em.”

MMU:"Yeah, the production on Nobody is a bit unbearable at times, but the musicianship is what stood out the most for
me."

Clod:"At this moment of my life I don't really care about any fuckin' scene or trend! I just believe in myself and I simply would like to
play something fast and groovy! So I think new songs will be more simple and straight to your face! More grind and core! A twist between Nasum and Hatebreed in my opinion....we'll see
[laughs]."

MMU:"Is the metal scene better today or is it worse?"

Clod:"We don't really have a good strong metal scene here in Italy. Too many trends... Now is the turn of old school death metal (which I
really love). So no more brOOtal kids around [laughs]. People support the scene only if they have a band and need a favor, to play here and there, or need contacts for labels, promoters
etc. Bands don't support each other, it’s just hypocrisy and rock stars! The very few ones that remain die hard I cannot call 'em a ‘scene"

MMU:“I was under the impression that metal was going strong with bands like Hour Of Penance and Devangelic getting huge in the
U.S.”

Clod:"About 5 years ago, at the very highest moment of brutal death metal, there was a pretty big scene with lots of concerts and festivals
(I organized the Tattoo Deathfest for almost a decade). There were tons of kids supporting every band, through forums on the internet, promoters, labels (I was the owner of theSpew Records.),
etc, but no more."

MMU:"Who came up with the name ‘Modus Delicti’ what does it mean?"

Clod:"It is Latin for ‘how to kill.'"

MMU:"Italy seems to be pumping out the death metal lately, why you do think that so many bands are coming out?"

Clod:"It's funny because I remember when I was a teen and it was pretty impossible for a death metal band to find a deal! The internet
didn't exist, so after having released a demo cassette, you had to send it with a letter to the labels and wait and wait and wait for an answer. Nobody in the world was interested in 'Italian'
death metal, and to play out of our country was kind a dream. Year after year things have changed and Italian bands would be heard and then loved! Up until three to four years ago, any new
death/brutal/grind band from Italy could get a deal just after a live video with a new song! [laughs] To be honest I don't follow the scene much right now. I don't have time and I don't
listen to much brutal stuff. I prefer hardcore, classic death metal and depressed music."

MMU:"Modus Delicti have been around since 2005, why did it take you until 2011 to release your debut album?"

Clod:"I don't like bands who start posting their super photo-shopped pics with catchy logos and graphics, full coloured shirts and tons of
useless merch on Facebook without a fucking release! I believe in the underground, so first you record a demo, some splits or EPs and then a full length! We first released a 3 way split CD with
some live songs, then a promo We re-released it months later by myself as a four way split with Fleshgod Apocalypse too (their first official release). Another 3 way released by Severed/Butchered
Records, a mini CD under my label theSpew records (my favorite release of Modus Delicti so far), and finally the full length by Comatose Music. As I told you, another split CD with Enemy
Reign was almost ready before the split-up."

MMU:"What is on your playlist right now?”

Clod:"Lots of hardcore such as Terror, Death Before Dishonor, Raised Fist, death metal, like Dead Congregation, Disma, Incantation, doom
including Shape of Despair, My Dying Bride, Loss, plus some classic grindcore such as Lock Up, Hateplow, Misery Index and some old Korn, old Katatonia, the Mars Volta, Rob Zombie, and
Placebo."

MMU:"Does Modus Delicti have any plans to tour the states?"

Clod:"For sure my friend, absolutely! I can't fucking wait to be on tour again, especially in the U.S.!"

MMU:"What does death metal mean to you?"

Clod:"I've tattooed my right hand with the monster from Effigy of the Forgotten by Suffocation, I have my fingers tatted with
“I.T.D.M.” (Italian Death Metal), and the word “DEATH” inside my mouth, so what do you thing bro?!"

MMU:"I think you are a homo oh Modus one, but that’s beside the point [laughs]. Thanks for the interview, any final
words?"

Clod:"Thanks a lot to Metal Mayhem Underground for the opportunity, it was a great pleasure! Fuck all trends and fuck false friends that hide
their thirst for fame behind the word: 'UNDERGROUND'!” ∆